Sport

Aussie training camp fuels Liam Plunkett’s push for fitness

NEW Yorkshire recruit Liam Plunkett is heading to Adelaide for a two-month training camp at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy.

Plunkett, who joined Yorkshire in the close season from Durham, has only played three LV= County Championship matches in the last two seasons due to injury.

After missing the second half of 2012 with an Achilles injury, the Headingley hierarchy felt the 27-year-old would benefit from warm weather training ahead of the 2013 campaign.

“Liam will head out on Monday to Adelaide and join up with the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy,” said director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

“The thinking behind it is to give Liam every opportunity to play and train in excellent conditions. “He missed a lot of last season through injury, so he is keen to make up for lost time and get some good outdoor preparation in readiness for our pre-season trip to Barbados in March.

“Our conditioner has implemented a fitness programme for Liam, which he will execute while he is out in Adelaide.

“In addition to the training, there will be many opportunities to play during the week for the academy, which organises matches against other competitive teams in South Australia. At weekends, he will play Grade cricket for the University.

“We have a good partnership with the Darren Lehmann Academy, through Darren and Dizzy (Jason Gillespie, Yorkshire coach).”

Plunkett will return to the club on March 5.

• Liam Gough, the son of former Yorkshire and England fast bowler Darren, is also spending time in Adelaide this winter. Gough, 18, was a fast bowler, but knee injuries forced him to convert to a top order batsman and off-spinner. He was on the MCC’s prestigious Young Cricketers programme last summer.